FIG. 2.

Tick cell lines infected with constructs of the mosquito-borne alphavirus Semliki Forest virus (SFV) (Tamberg et al. 2007) incorporating enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP), which facilitates identification of infected cells. Left panel: Rhipicephalus (Boophilus) decoloratus cell line BDE/CTVM14 at 24 h after infection with SFV4(3F)-eGFP, in which the eGFP is inserted into the nonstructural protein ORF and therefore localizes to virus replication complexes. Right panel: Ixodes scapularis cell line IDE8 at 24 h after infection with SFV4st-eGFP, in which the eGFP is inserted into the structural protein ORF and therefore is produced extensively in the cytoplasm of infected cells. Photomicrographs taken on an Axio Observer inverted microscope (Zeiss) with concurrent bright-field and UV illumination. Scale bar=50 μm. (Color images available at www.liebertonline.com/vbz)